A Lot to Think About
by roothlace
Summary: It's Christmas time in Camelot and Gwen has a lot to think about.


_Merlin_ doesn't belong to me.

For purposes of my story there were Christmas trees, decorations, and hot chocolate in Camelot.

**A Lot to Think About**

Gwen made her way back to her house, it had been a long day but finally she was done with her chores and she could rest. It was Christmas time in Camelot and the whole kingdom was awash with celebration even Uther seemed to be in a jovial mood but the best thing about it was that Morgana had given her two days off.

Gwen didn't know what she was going to during that time bit she intended to keep well away from the castle. Her home would be lonely – Tom, her father had died a few months ago and she hadn't heard from her brother, Elyan, in years. She'd wondered if he was even still alive when he'd failed to come home when her father died.

Gaius had tried to press her to join him for lunch at least, but she'd refused and since he'd ended up changing his plans and decided to go with Merlin to Ealdor she was happy she'd not agreed to go with them. She liked Hunith, Merlin's mother very much and Ealdor was a beautiful place that wasn't too far from Camelot but she was content to spend her time off by herself. It would help her to get her mind straight, especially concerning a certain Prince.

Arthur had kissed her, and she had kissed him as well and now she was confused about everything. She couldn't be in love with him, could she? The other thing – that he could be in love with her – she totally refused to think about. He had rescued her from the Hengist, against his father's wishes and then he had actually said that he had never loved another. But surely that was all her imagination, he didn't mean it like that; he probably just meant that he really cared about her, like he cared about Merlin and Morgana. Whatever it was, she needed to use this time, alone, to clear her head.

000

"So, you're off to Ealdor then?"

"Yes, Arthur," Merlin told his friend. "So you have to look after yourself for the next few days. I can't imagine the state you'll be in by the time I return."

"I guess you'll just have to see in a little while then," Arthur replied. "Unless you decide that you'd rather stay."

"Nothing can make me stay," Merlin assured him.

"So you're going with Gaius and Guinevere, then?"

"Gwen refused to come with us," Merlin told him. "She doesn't want to travel."

Arthur nodded as if Gwen's decision was of little importance but they both knew that he was thinking about it.

"Maybe you can invite her for lunch," Merlin suggested, and then shook his head, "no, what am I saying? The king would have a fit and probably have her thrown into the dungeons. Best to let her enjoy her rest, alone, in peace."

"Shut up, Merlin." Arthur told him good-naturedly but Merlin's words had given him an idea.

000

The knock at her door surprised Gwen, it was after 8pm and she had seen all friends already and turned down all their invites, so she wasn't expecting anyone to show up. She ignored it hoping the person on the other side would think that she was asleep and leave but they persisted.

"Arthur, Sire, what are you doing here?" she curtseyed.

"Guinevere," Arthur replied. He had been so sure when planning the whole thing and coming over but now he wasn't too sure that this was a good idea.

"Was there something you needed, my lord?" she asked.

"Haven't I asked you repeatedly to call me Arthur?"

"Was there something you needed, Arthur?" she repeated.

"Merlin told me that you refused to go with them to Ealdor," Arthur explained. "I just wanted to see if you're fine, it can be hard to be alone at this time of year."

"I'm fine, as you can see," she told him.

"Fine," he swallowed, and then looked around the room. "It seems I caught you in the middle of something."

"I was just wondering whether to decorate the tree," Gwen replied. Darius, a neighbour, who always gave them a Christmas tree, had brought it round earlier although Gwen had asked him not to. It was standing by the fireplace where it always stood and she had been wondering whether to get the box of decorations from the store.

"I'll have you know that I've never decorated a tree in my life," Arthur told her, "but I'll be very glad to help."

"Well, for the sake of your education," Gwen replied. "Let's get the show on the road."

000

A few hours later the tree was decorated, and popcorn strings and other ornaments were hanging around the house and it was beautiful.

"Thank you," Gwen told Arthur.

"What for?" he asked her. "You did most of the work, I was just following instructions."

"For following instructions," Gwen replied. "Something I thought you incapable of, but I meant thank you for coming here, for being here with me."

"It's been my pleasure."

They had eaten roasted marshmallows, drank hot chocolate and Arthur had even produced some wine and cheese, in short they had had a party.

"I knew that even if I got Morgana to invite you to the castle tomorrow you wouldn't come," Arthur told her.

"Your father would have a fit."

"He wouldn't notice," Arthur assured her. "Not tomorrow anyway."

Gwen shrugged knowing this to be true, some of Uther's oldest friends and their families were going to spend the day at the castle but she didn't want to intrude on family time. And she knew it would be awkward for them.

"I'll be alright here," she assured Arthur, "and you've helped me through the worst of it."

"I guess I'll be off then," he said.

Gwen nodded, waiting for him to leave. She'd always known that Arthur was kind that he had a good heart but he had never meant more to her than he did then, but she couldn't say anything, not when she knew that nothing would ever come out of it.

"I got you this," he said, pulling a brown package out of his coat.

Gwen had actually got him a present as well, a mad impulse on her part, but she had already decided against giving it to him.

"You don't have to do this, you know," she told him.

"I know, but I want to." He handed it to her.

She took it and opened it and laughed inspite of herself.

"What's so funny?" Arthur asked her. He hadn't thought his present would cause such a reaction. Gwen walked to her wardrobe and pulled out a brown package and gave it to him.

They had gotten each other a pair of scarves with their initials embroidered along the edges.

"Where did you get yours?" Gwen asked him. "They are beautiful and I don't think I've ever seen the likes of them in Bernard's stall."

"They were my mother's," he answered.

"Did Merlin embroider them?"

"No," Arthur smiled, "I did that, I didn't want him to know what I was doing but I must say I have new respect for you as a seamstress, at some point I thought I was going to lose all my blood."

Gwen laughed trying to picture Arthur sewing. It must have taken him a while especially since he'd had to do it in secret.

"Your embroidery is far better than mine," he told her.

"I should hope so; I am a trained seamstress and good at what I do."

"Do you know what this means?" he asked her.

"Please don't say great minds think alike," she begged him, jokingly.

"You said it, not me."

He took his scarves and put them in his pocket walked to the door and then walked back to her and kissed her. "Merry Christmas, Guinevere," he said and walked out.

She watched him with a smile on her face. This was going to be an even better Christmas than she'd dreamed it would be.

As she fell asleep she thought to herself that she now had a lot more to think about.

000


End file.
